Cherry-clipper.



'W. M. GORDON.

CHERRY CLIPPER. APPLICATION FILED APR. 21. 1913. RENEWED JULY 9. 1914.

. 1 1 57 Patented Aug. 25, 19%

Inventor Attorn ys scrapes arana UFFTCE.

WILZBUR M. GORDON, 01 TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN.

CHERRY-CLIPPER.

Application filed ltpril 21, 1913,8e1ia1 No. 762,681.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILBUR M. GORDON, a citizen of the United States,residing au The present invention appertains to cherry or fruit clipper,and aims to provide a device of that character so designed andconstructed to meet the demands of those engaged in the occupation ofpicking or clipping cherries.

It is the prevailing custom atthe present time to employ an ordinarypair of shears or scissors for clipping cherries, but the use of such animplement is found of disadvantage for a number of reasons. Thus, anordinary pair of scissors or shears in being employed for this purposesoon become gummed in cutting the stems of the cherries, and as aresult, the cutters will tend to stick and work with extreme difliculty,so that a constant edort on the part of the operator is necessary toopen the cutters, which soon causes the back of the thumb and fingersto.

become calloused and sore. Another objection to the employment of such ashears or scissors is the fact that the same may not be easily operated,it being necessary to so open and close the hand as to consumeconsiderable time as well as energy. Other dis advantages are alsoincident'to the use of a pair of shears and scissors for this purpose,as will be apparent.

With the numerous disadvantages in view in the use of an ordinary pairof scissors or shears, it has been the object of the present inventionto provide a novel and improved clipper designed and constructedespecially to meet the need of those engaged in'clipping cherries, andwhich shall be convenient, serviceable and efficient in its use, as wellas simple, durable and inexpensive in construction.

With the foregoing general object outlined Speciflcation of LettersPatent.

. Patented Aug. 23"), 1914.

Renewed July 9, 1914. Serial No. 850,053.

bodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scopeof what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention has been illustrated in its preferred embodiment in theaccompanying drawing, wherein :F igure 1 is a'side eleyution of theimproved cherry clipper, showing the hand applied thereto in dotted,lines. Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3is a perspective detail of the thumb piece or seat. Fig. 4 is asectional detail taken on the line 4% of Fig. 1,

In carrying out the invention, reference being bad in detail to thedrawing, there is provided a pair of crossed and pivoted blades orcutters 1 having the shanks 2 and 3, respectively, at their inner ends.The shank 2 is preferably provided with an inner lug or stop 4 adaptedto engage or conwardly from the edges of the thumb piece 5 at a pointslightly forward of its center. The ears 6 overlap the shank 2 and arepivoted to the shank by means of a pin or rivet 7 engaged through theears and shank, the edgeof the shank 2 between the pin 7 and thumb piece5 being curved, as at 8, so as to limit the forward and rearwardswinging movements of the thumb piece.

A strap 9 is secured at an intermediate point on. the thumb piece orseat 5 by means of a rivet or other securin member 10, which'is dis osedbetween the ears 6, and the ends of t e stra' 9 are provided with aplurality of pairs or apertures or eyelets 11 through which a lacing 12is adapted to be threaded for adjustably connecting the ends of strap.The sna s is preferably constructed of soft leather or similar material,and is relatively wide so to comfortably embrace the first thumbfphalanx to hold it snugly in position of the dumb piece or seateyelets, similar to the strap 9, for the 5. A pad 13 of leather or othersoft material' is disposed on and covers the thumb piece 5, and ispreferably of similar outline or contour, the pad 13 passing over theintermediate porton of the strap 9 and being engaged by the rivet orsecuringmember 10. This pad 13 serves as a soft bearing surface orfacingfor the thumb, as will be apparent.

A pin or rivet 14 is engaged through the shank 3 at a point spaced froma pivotal point of the blades similarto the pin or rivet 7, and a'coiled wire spring 15 is disposed between the shanks 2 and '3, and hasits ends 16 extending approximately radially or away from its axis. Theterminals of the spring 15 are bent into eyes embracing opposite ends ofthe pins 7 and 14.

The shank 3 is extended into a relatively long and straight finger piece17 of V- shaped cross section and which has its outer or free end curvedback slightly as at 18.

"A pair of straps 19 of leather or other suitable material have theirremote ends bent: back and secured to the inner and outer ends .of thefinger piece 17, by means of rivets or other securing members 20. Theother or free ends of the straps 19 are adapted to overlap and. areprovided with apertures or passage or engagement of a lacing 21.

In applying the hand to the clipper, the fingers are engaged over thefinger piece 17, and the free ends of the straps 19 are so attached toeach other as to comfortably hug' or embrace the fingers. The firstthumb phalanx is then placed on the finger piece or seat 5, the ends ofthe strap 9 having been so attached that the strap will comfortably bugor embrace the first thumb phalanx. With the fingers and thumb thus inposition, the clipper is ready for use.

. In using the clipper for severing the stems of cherries, it isdesirable to move the thumb only, so that the limited movements of thethumb will swing the respective blade or cutter 1 to and from the othercutter or blade, it being noted that the shank 2 is rela-. tively short,so that only th slight movement of the thumb is necessary and which willprovide for the-rapid operation of the clipper without appreciableeffort on the part of the operator. The straps 19 in snugly embracingthe fingers will hold the fingers firmly against the relatively straightfinger piece 17, and as a consequence, the' respective blade or cutterwill be held stationary relative to the hand, the hand being heldstationary so that the thumb-actuated blade or cutter only is operatedor actuated. In this manner, by moving the hand, the respective blade orcutter may be directed properly over one side of the cherry stems, whilethe other blade or cutter may be operated by the thumb to sever thestems. The thumb in thus operating the blade or of the thumb, relativeto the shank 2, the 1 pressure of the thumb being applied through themedium of the pivot. pin 7 to the shank 2 at all timesso as to provide auniform leverage. The pivotal connection of the thumb piece 5 with theshank 2 also assists in opening the blades or cutters when the thumb ismoved outwardly, this being desirable should it be necessary toeliminate the spring 16. It will be noted that when the blades areclosed or swung together, the spring 16 will be forced backwardly ortoward the palm of the hand, the ends 16 being swung toward each other,so as to increase the tension or torsional strain of thespring16,"which' will counteract the sticking action should the blades becomegummed. The. spring operates efficiently to open or spread the blades,the ends of the spring being in pivotal relation with the shanks. 1

The first thumb phalanx being seated on the pad 13 and being embraced bythe strap 9- will be comfortably held in engagement with the thumb piece5 so as not to become calloused, chafe'd or otherwise injured in the useof the clipper, it being noted that the strap 9 is adjustable toaccommodate va rious sizes of thumbs. The straps 19 em bracing thefingers also hold the fingers snugly in position, so as to eliminatecaltivcly severed with ease and despatch. The

padding 13 not only serves as a cushion for the thumb, but will preventthe strap 9 from pulling out of engagement with the rivet or securingmember 10, as will be apparent.

Fromthe foregoing taken in connection with the drawing, the advantagesand capabilities of the device will be apparent to those versed in theart, it being noted that the present device carries out. the objectsaimed at in a satisfactory manner, and provides a highly desirableimplement of the nature and for the purpose described.

The blade to which the thumb piece is at tached is provided with arelatively wide bevel to provide a cutting or shearing edge ting thecherry stems or fibl'k'llls substances.

thumb piece, a pair of straps having their which will be particularlyadapted for out- Having thus described the invention, What is claimed asnew is In a cherry clipper, a pair of orossed and pivoted blades, oneblade having a relatively short shank, the other blade having a shankextended into a relatively long member over which the four fingers ofthe operators hand may be placed, a thumb piece pivoted to the shortshrink, a transverse strap having its intermediate portion secured onthe remote ends turned'back and seclired t0 the end portions of the saidrelatively long I straps whereby the said straps may-snugly embrace thefingers.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoafiixecl my slgnature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILBUR GORDON.

Witnesses:

E. P. ALLEN, RALPH VISKOCHIL.

